See How They Work: Filmmaker Mina Shum

The loneliest BOY places an “I Saw You” ad in the local weekly and during his epic seven day wait for GIRL to call, he discovers an unlikely community in the three exercising Chinese ladies that frequent the local park.
Commissioned for "Intersections" from Cineworks and Brief Encounters

Photograph by: Video Image
, Mina Shum

Mina Shum is an award-winning filmmaker who has written and directed three feature films, numerous shorts and documentaries, directed network television and created site-specific installations.

• What is your favourite film and why?

My favorite film, one film? That's too hard. Today that would be Ikuru, for its composition, performance and non-dialogue driven plot.

• What is your next project?

My next project is a bunch of projects. My film, a short I love called I Saw You which appeared at VIFF taught me a lot about filmmaking (yes I will be forever learning). I'm in prep for a NFB feature doc called the Ninth Floor and developing a TV series with co-creator Dennis Foon, called The Lotus and a feature film Two of Me, that I co-wrote with Bob Martin (of Drowsy Chaperone fame) produced by Stephen Heyges.

• What film or experience inspired you to filmmaking?

The film that inspired me to be a filmmaker was Peter Weir's Gallipoli.

• Do you like to work collaboratively as a rule?

Film is a collaborative art, but there has to be someone clearly driving the bus somewhere. That bus driver is me.

• Do you have any interests in the arts that are non-collaborative in nature?

I am a writer, which is very much a solo art.

• Describe your team and the role you play in it.

My team is the orchestra and I am the conductor.

• How do you go about communicating a lucid and extensive vision to your creative team?

I use tools to communicate: photos, clips from other movies, sounds, music. I'll act it out badly and walk around the set blocking it. I do extensive prep, so by the time we're on set we're in each other pockets.

• Do you believe that it's important to have a Director's chair on set?

I don't need a director's chair, who has time to sit down?

• What cinematic world/location would you lose yourself into as a child?

I would lose myself in musicals, Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, imagine a world where you suddenly burst into song and everyone knew the choreography!

• What equipment could you not live without?

I could not live without a pen. This has not changed since I was 10.

• What are the challenges of character development?

Challenges of character development: making sure that characters' desires are externalized in action that drives the plot forward. Casting the part perfectly and then gaining the trust of the actor so that I can be surprised by how they inhabit a character I've known for years.

• What music would be the soundtrack of your working life?

My soundtrack of my working life is mostly the clicking of the keyboard when I'm writing. When I'm directing, I hear a three piece rock n' roll power trio.

Story Tools

The loneliest BOY places an “I Saw You” ad in the local weekly and during his epic seven day wait for GIRL to call, he discovers an unlikely community in the three exercising Chinese ladies that frequent the local park.
Commissioned for "Intersections" from Cineworks and Brief Encounters

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.